Greg Whalen is a guy who usually doesn’t make big plans for Easter Sunday, but this year is an exception.

Whalen, along with St. Cloud Boxing and Wrestling Club teammates Avery Miller, Victor Hernandez and Angel Pacheco, will fight for a trip to Las Vegas.

Vegas is the location for the 2014 Golden Gloves Boxing National Tournament of Champions in May, but each fighter will have to win twice this weekend.

The Minnesota state finals are this weekend at Palace Hotel and Casino in Cass Lake, starting with Saturday night’s semifinals before Sunday afternoon’s championship matches.

“I didn’t really have any Easter plans, so there were none to break,” said Whalen, 26, of Apple Valley. “It’s just exciting to be up there with the best fighters from their region.”

The four state qualifiers helped the club win the Region IV team tournament a few weeks ago in Wadena.

Whalen’s shot

Whalen is taking the final three credits toward a degree in marketing from St. Cloud State while living and working in his hometown.

He commutes twice per week for class and to train with the Boxing and Wrestling Club at Downtown Gym in St. Cloud.

“I know the guys I’m going to be fighting are very experienced and they probably got me in that category,” said Whalen, who fights at 152 pounds. “I’ve been training really hard for this fight and I’m really in shape, so if I just listen to the instructions from my corner I can give anyone problems.”

Scott Kelm, a trainer at the club, thinks Whalen has the best shot to make the national tournament out of the four remaining.

Whalen had to beat defending Region IV champ TJ Steward in the regional finals in late March to reach the state semifinals.

“That was the surprise of the tournament,” Kelm said. “Greg’s very quiet. He’s a technical fighter, not a brawler. I would classify Greg as a strategist.”

“His weight class is evenly balanced and it’s going to depend on who makes that first move, who’s going to be more aggressive and who’s going to be more skilled.”

Strong upsides

Kelm believes all four of his remaining fighters have a strong upside.

“Angel’s also an amateur mixed martial arts fighter and he’s by far a better boxer,” Kelm said. “Victor is a hard worker and relies a lot on his talent. He’s a very smooth individual when he’s out there.

“Avery is a rookie, trying boxing in his first year. He’s our Cinderella.”

Pacheco, of Willmar, will compete at 165 pounds and Hernandez, of Buffalo, will fight at 178 pounds.

Hernandez beat Miller for the right to represent the club at 178, so Miller optioned to fight in the heavyweight class.

At 180 pounds, Miller is undersized, but he said that has its advantages.

“I’ve come to terms with guys being bigger than me,” said Miller, 18, who lives in Sauk Rapids and works for his stepfather as a flooring installer.

“But I’m really in shape, I don’t have that extra fat so I think I’m going to be faster than most people. I’m smaller and I’ll have more energy to throw my hands and let them loose.”

Miller went through regionals uncontested since there were no other fighters at heavyweight in the region tournament.

“I’ll be honest. My chances aren’t great but I’ll do my best and if I win, I win,” Miller said. “If I don’t win, it’ll be a great experience.”

Joe James of the St. Cloud Area Golden Gloves also earned a spot in this weekend’s action by winning the 141-pound weight class at the regional.